Exceptional circumstances

You choose to self-certify for an extension of up to 7 days. This can apply to more than one assignment if the deadlines fall within the same week. You can self-certify once a semester, and this can be used for physical and mental health. It is designed to help you recover from a short-term illness where it is not appropriate to seek medical advice.

Should you suffer from a bereavement, you can self-certify for a period of 7 days without having to provide any evidence. This does not impact on the once per semester self-certification for short-term illness.

If you need more than 7 days, or have already self-certified on one occasion in the current semester, you can apply through the exceptional circumstances process.

This process requires you to provide evidence along with your application from an independent, third-party expert, for example a GP, health professional, or police service. You must detail the impact the circumstances you are experiencing have had on your studies and why you need the further time to be able to complete your assessment. This is important, as it is this information that helps the University determine the severity of your circumstances and decide whether to approve your claim.

If you do not have evidence when you apply, you will be contacted and given 5 working days to provide it. If you do not provide it before the deadline, your claim will be declined.

Your extension will be granted in weeks (1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks) up to a maximum of 3 weeks. The 3 weeks could have been granted through one or more claims or through extensions from your Learning Support Plan. Extensions from your Learning Support Plan will count towards this 3 week maximum. This means that if you have an extension of 3 weeks through your Learning Support Plan, any claim upheld through the Exceptional Circumstances procedure will mean your assessment will be deferred to the next assessment period.

If you are submitting a claim due to a positive Covid result, you must provide either a signed and dated medical certificate, or GP or healthcare professional letter that confirms you are Covid positive, or a photo of a positive test alongside a piece of paper with your student name, number and date the test was taken.

If you need more than three weeks to complete your assessment due to the severity of your circumstances, your assessment will be deferred to the next assessment period. This will be assessed on the evidence you provide with your claim and your explanation of the impact upon your ability to study and complete your assessment. Any claim for a deferral of an assessment must be supported by strong evidence that clearly shows serious exceptional circumstances.

Assessments will be deferred as follows:

If you have an assessment deferred, particularly resits in Semester 2, you may not be able to progress to your next level of study as expected. You will be advised of this in the outcome of your claim.